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Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Giveaway and Review: David Kahn's "How I Discovered World War II's Greatest Spy"

Ah, espionage, that shady world of codes, shadowy figures, and vital information. Warfare isn't the same without it, and some say, wars cannot be won without it.

David Kahn, arguably the expert on intelligence, brings together several stories of World War II espionage as well as other fascinating tales of secret communication in How I Discovered World War II's Greatest Spy and Other Stories of Intelligence and Code, published by CRC Press.

This book is a collection of some of Kahn's previously published essays, a handy volume for finding out some of the best of Kahn's work. Many articles appeared in scholarly publications that are not readily accessible to the general public, and this is indeed welcome news to historians of military intelligence, both professional and independent. Historians and researchers will especially appreciate the meticulous notes for each article.

Kahn's articles provide a wide range of topics. Some tackle more intriguing questions that have haunted us for years such as this classic: Did President Roosevelt know about the attack on Pearl Harbor? He also addresses a similar conundrum in why Nazi Germany's supposedly "superior" Aryan spies were absolutely awful in the intelligence game.

Enigma, The Cold War, and the intricacy of cryptology are examined, as well. Thus, this book isn't just for World War II enthusiasts, but anyone who is intrigued by intelligence and espionage. Kahn's writing is superb, drawing you in immediately, and holding your attention long after bedtime has come and gone.

GIVEAWAY

If you'd like to win a copy of Kahn's hardcover book, here's how to enter! Just do ONE of the following and you'll be entered to win!

1) Leave a comment on this post with your email.
2) Follow me on Twitter @WW2HistoryGal
3) If you're already a Twitter follower, simply tweet me with the hashtag #KahnGiveaway

Giveaway is open to U.S. and U.K. residents only.Winners will be notified via Twitter or email. Contest ends at midnight May 20, 2014. No purchase necessary to enter.

I love all things WWII and espionage! My undergrad paper was on Female SOE agents in German-occupied France (I don't recall if this is something I mentioned to you before). I had such a great time researching, writing and presenting it! A few years ago they released quite a few documents relating to the SOE, however, I would still have to go to London to view them...